She was the owner and host of Biba, the guiding force behind the menu, and, in those roles, she was everybody’s favorite Italian mamma. Free of gimmicks and trends, Biba was not trying to be edgy or innovative. The kitchen did things the right way — use excellent ingredients and classic technique while paying attention to all the little things from start to finish.

California continues to surf a huge economic wave with year-after-year tourism growth, generating more than $140 billion for the state last year and supporting the livelihoods of millions of residents. But as any big wave surfer knows, the thrill of success also comes with perils, and in the case of tourism, the situation can get gnarly fast.

There’s a word that comes to mind for Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg regarding the largest infill project in his city, The Railyards. “The one word I would use to describe the state of where we’re at is ‘breakthrough,’” Steinberg says.

Visit Sacramento hosted its State of the Hospitality Industry Luncheon on June 27 at the Memorial Auditorium in downtown Sacramento. The event celebrated the city’s tourism industry and highlighted future opportunities, including growing the festival business in the region.

Across the Sacramento region, food truck owners are riding their mobile success into more stationary ventures, from sit-down restaurants like Culinerdy Kitchen to food-court outposts and drive-through kiosks.

Sacramento has struggled with its branding for more than a century. Recently, the farm-to-fork movement has raised awareness of the local food scene, but as the region also tries to highlight its growth in business, tech, art and culture, a new brand is in the pipeline.

Customers who visit select craft breweries in the Sacramento region with “guest taps” — as in, beers from another brewery — will be offered two limited treats beginning this week as part of a new beer import program.